Wisconsin Professional Police Association Endorses Baldwin for U.S. Senate

MADISON–The Wisconsin Professional Police Association (WPPA) announced today its endorsement of Tammy Baldwin in her race for the United States Senate.

The decision was made by active law enforcement officers elected to the group’s board of directors, and was based on Baldwin’s “A” grade as determined by the National Association of Police Organization’s (NAPO) nonpartisan congressional report card.

“Tammy Baldwin has clearly demonstrated her support for public safety and the dedicated men and women who serve to provide it, and that has been true during her entire career in public service,” said WPPA Executive Director, Jim Palmer. “She has consistently stood up for the law enforcement community, and we are proud to stand behind her now.”

Despite the fact that the WPPA had long-supported Tommy Thompson in the past, the group says that the extremist tone of Thompson’s current campaign to replace Herb Kohl reflects a very different person than the man who formerly served as Wisconsin’s governor.

“While the WPPA has great deal of respect for Tommy Thompson’s tenure as governor and enjoyed working with him on a variety of issues for many years, this does not appear to be the same Tommy Thompson that we once knew so well,” continued Palmer. “The Tommy Thompson we knew worked in a bipartisan fashion to get things done, and he was accessible to and representative of Wisconsin’s middle class. This Tommy Thompson appears uninterested in finding a common ground, intent on drastically cutting programs like Medicare and Medicaid, and offers plans with few specifics. We are confident that Tammy Baldwin will represent Wisconsin with the integrity and common sense Wisconsin values that Washington sorely needs.”

The group also specifically cited Baldwin’s outspoken efforts earlier this year to urge the IRS to clarify regulations that might have increased the retirement age for police officers to 62 if left unaddressed. After receiving bipartisan pressure of several federal lawmakers from Wisconsin, those clarifications were made in April of this year.

With over 10,000 members from nearly 400 local association affiliates, the WPPA is the state’s largest law enforcement group.